BC Bike Race - any Aussie who have ridden it? Advice needed for 2016

J

Juz1970

Likes Bikes
hi folks. (have posted this in Fitness as well)
I have committed to the 2016 BC Bike Race, which is going to mean a complete overhaul of my fitness/riding, etc.!
I am after any tips/advice from those who have ridden in the event in regards to terrain, gearing advice, the climbs and anything else that will help me nut out a 12-month plan.
Not aiming to win, just to complete it and have fun doing it.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
JW
 
S

shwinboy

Likes Dirt
I did it in 2013. It is the most awesome event I have ever done hands down and the logistics and organization are amazing. You will have a ball guaranteed. Here are a few pointers from my experience. I rode it on a ti 26" wheel xc hard tail for context, was 40 at the time father of 2 under 6, and was a solid mid field finisher.
Training: I'm a free lance artist and didn't have much work on in the 6 months prior and found my self doing 2 to 3 long 4 hr rides a week with shorter ones inbetween. My goals were more about being able to go the distance comfortably day after day for 7days. By and large this worked but if i were doing it over Id do far more climbing. Big climbs. Those ones that take you 30minutes + of grinding in the saddle to get up. Because seriously you'll be doing a lot of that. Don't neglect your descending and technical riding. I spent the week prior riding the shore and squamish which was like mtb boot camp compared to what I ride at home. I was thankful for that introduction . Know how to ride wet stuff.
The Bike: Take a 29er 5" travel duaie. It's perfectly doable on a ht but you'll be very beat up by the end which is fine if you don't want to do more riding the week after. I was never a convert to suspension or big wheels. This race / terrain changed my mind. Oh and make sure it has a dropper post. In fact build your bike around your favorite dropper post. Gears wise. You might be Ok with 1 x11 but you wont regret a double or tripple set up. BIG climbs remember . There were a lot of people with enduro style bikes but they were over kill for the course. There is so much climbing that a decent xc or trail bike will serve you better. Something like a giant Trance or Anthem Ex would be perfect.
 
X

Xmas

Squid
I can't help you out just yet... But I will be able to in a couple of weeks!

I fly out on Thursday week to do this year's race.

I'll be on a s/w epic with 1 x 11 with 32t upfront but I am taking a 30t as a back up. Would like a little more travel but I think it will be good for all the climbing that I am about to suffer...
 
S

shwinboy

Likes Dirt
You won't need more travel than the epic has. It's not DH roughness that is the killer on the BC BR course it's all the damn roots which are most notable on the flats and climbs. Though the Squamish stage will throw stuff at you where a 6" enduro bike will be most at home.
 
S

Soul-Rider

Likes Dirt
I broke my collar bone three weeks from the race so it would be fair to say that my prep was a little lacking. All I did was drink booze on the couch and moan until I landed on the start line. And wouldn't you know it? I had the time of my life! Best riding, best people, best scenery. Loved every minute. Any tips? Your Dropper post is your friend, and pick tires that are fun not fast. You will be riding some really cool, knarly trails so don't skimp on the rubber. I rode a 130/120 26 XC/light all mountain 'ish bike and couldn't have been happier. Except when my free wheel exploded and left me 'run' biking for 27km to finish one day!
 
X

Xmas

Squid
@ shwinboy

I must say that my heart sank a little bit when I read your post the other nite.

I was warned six months ago to do lots of hill training. I meant to... I really meant to.

I have read so much about this race and watched as much footage as I could get my hands on to try and get a feel for the trails.

The dropper post was the first thing to be put on despite the 400g weight penalty. I am also going to be running 2.3 High Rollers front and back - give me grip not f&#cking rolling resistance! That's also probably added 300g to the usual race setup weight.

But more importantly I've lost 4kg in training over the last 3 months and feel pretty bloody good.

Just planning on not crashing and being a DNF - the results will look after themselves.

I am getting very excited now ... 216 hours to go :)
 
S

shwinboy

Likes Dirt
@xmass I wouldn't worry too much. If you have the Kay's in the legs you'll get up the mountains eventually. All my training was long endurance style rides on mostly rolling flat terrain which gave me a great base but over there I really had to take it easy and just chug up stuff. It wasn't the climbing or steepness that i wasn't ready for but the duration of the climbing effort. The longest steep climb I have near me is done and dusted in 20 minutes. Most days of the bcbr start with an hour or so of up. I was riding in a team with my bro who lives in Vancouver and has real mountains to ride up at his door so the difference in our prep was quite evident. That and I was on a ht 26er and he was on dual 29er had me pretty much giving up on the concept of ever holding his wheel except where it was smooth and flat.
Your dropper post will be your best friend. All worry so about extra bike weight will be furthest from your mind as you scream down the most amazing descents you will ever ride. The high rollers are a very good choice. You seriously will have a ball. Also don't be scared of riding the all wood work. It's ofthen gripper and much easier to ride than you think. When I visited the North shore I loved riding the wood because it was easy compared to the dirt and rock parts of the trails. So don't be intimidated by it.
 
J

Juz1970

Likes Bikes
Thanks everyone for the advice - especially shwinboy.
I am just about to pick a project bike frame to build up for the race. Have a Santa Cruz 5010 alloy running 1x11 but am seriously looking at 29-inch and 2x10 as I qAS was lucky enough to score a ride on a Rocky Mountain Instinct over on the North Shore last year and it really sold me on the wagon wheels with its speed plus it still had great handling.
Also Xmas - looking forward to hearing how you go mate - good luck!
Am not at all deluded as to being a front-runner, just want to finish it and enjoy it without suffering too much.
Be keen to hear more about the long climbs in the event as i live in Sydney but am from the far south coast (Eden, Tathra - the oldies still live down there) originally so will be searching madly for hills in both areas that approximate that distance/time. And also plenty of tree roots and rocks! Not easy to find on Sydney's north side...

Cheers,

JW
 
Ky1e

Ky1e

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Juz1970 said:
I qAS was lucky enough to score a ride on a Rocky Mountain Instinct over on the North Shore last year and it really sold me on the wagon wheels
Click to expand...
Sounds like you should be getting a Rocky Mountain instinct then!! Lol
 
S

shwinboy

Likes Dirt
Juz1970 said:
Thanks everyone for the advice - especially shwinboy.
I am just about to pick a project bike frame to build up for the race. Have a Santa Cruz 5010 alloy running 1x11 but am seriously looking at 29-inch and 2x10 as I qAS was lucky enough to score a ride on a Rocky Mountain Instinct over on the North Shore last year and it really sold me on the wagon wheels with its speed plus it still had great handling.
Also Xmas - looking forward to hearing how you go mate - good luck!
Am not at all deluded as to being a front-runner, just want to finish it and enjoy it without suffering too much.
Be keen to hear more about the long climbs in the event as i live in Sydney but am from the far south coast (Eden, Tathra - the oldies still live down there) originally so will be searching madly for hills in both areas that approximate that distance/time. And also plenty of tree roots and rocks! Not easy to find on Sydney's north side...

Cheers,

JW
Click to expand...
I would have loved a 5010 or Instinct for the BCBR. By day 5 I could have been convinced to kill for one. Either bike would be perfect. If you end up running a 1 x 11 setup. Maybe run a smaller front ring to bias your range for climbing.
 
Burgertron

Burgertron

Likes Dirt
Bcbr

shwinboy said:
I would have loved a 5010 or Instinct for the BCBR. By day 5 I could have been convinced to kill for one. Either bike would be perfect. If you end up running a 1 x 11 setup. Maybe run a smaller front ring to bias your range for climbing.
Click to expand...
I agree with shwinboy...best race ever.
I also did it in 2013 as part of a 2 man team with a mate. I would recommend entering as a solo...that way if like me you run out of gas then you don't let your team mate down. He was pretty cool about it but I felt bad for not being able to keep up with him...he had to wait for me quite a lot.
My training was ok...averaging 4-5 rides a week and about 150-200 km....should have been more hill climbing and also I should have spent at least an hour a day on the road or on the spin bike....the more you do the better time you will have...and you want to be able to pin it.
I rode a Stumpjumper Evo 26....too much travel..awesome in the tech but overall too much.
I would recommend 4 or 5 inch 29er ...I want to go again and I will ride a Specialised Camber Expert probably with XT 2x11...the climbs are a punish...you have been warned :)
Best plan is too get to the start line early on day 1 and smash it...that way you will get a good seeding for the rest of the race and get to start ahead of the roadies/non technical riders and get to the tech stuff before them...I had a lot of problems with super fit but non tech riders who would smash it to the single track and then have to walk,,,yep WALK down the tech sections...and non of them wanted to yield track...I would have to literally scream at these guys to get out of the way...was a real problem...anyway don't want to sound negative because it was an amazing experience and a really well run event..cant wait to do it again...good luck to you and if you need any more info for prep don't hesitate to get in touch
cheers
MK
 
S

shwinboy

Likes Dirt
Burgertron said:
I agree with shwinboy...best race ever.
I also did it in 2013 as part of a 2 man team with a mate. I would recommend entering as a solo...that way if like me you run out of gas then you don't let your team mate down. He was pretty cool about it but I felt bad for not being able to keep up with him...he had to wait for me quite a lot.
My training was ok...averaging 4-5 rides a week and about 150-200 km....should have been more hill climbing and also I should have spent at least an hour a day on the road or on the spin bike....the more you do the better time you will have...and you want to be able to pin it.
I rode a Stumpjumper Evo 26....too much travel..awesome in the tech but overall too much.
I would recommend 4 or 5 inch 29er ...I want to go again and I will ride a Specialised Camber Expert probably with XT 2x11...the climbs are a punish...you have been warned :)
Best plan is too get to the start line early on day 1 and smash it...that way you will get a good seeding for the rest of the race and get to start ahead of the roadies/non technical riders and get to the tech stuff before them...I had a lot of problems with super fit but non tech riders who would smash it to the single track and then have to walk,,,yep WALK down the tech sections...and non of them wanted to yield track...I would have to literally scream at these guys to get out of the way...was a real problem...anyway don't want to sound negative because it was an amazing experience and a really well run event..cant wait to do it again...good luck to you and if you need any more info for prep don't hesitate to get in touch
cheers
MK
Click to expand...
Ha Ha. Yes the Mexicans of 2013. I'm not being racist because seriously there was this huge mexican contingent that year. 1/5 of the field was from mexico and they rode in big bunches. Quick, Light, can climb hills fast but put a wet log in front of them and it's hike a bike time and none of them liked to get out of the way. I've never made so many aggressive passes in my life as I did on that first day. Especially frustrating if one of them got in front of you just before the enduro sections. Most memorable was flying down this awesome loamy timed enduro section only to stop dead half way down because of a traffic jam of 20 or so riders backed up behind one of these guys who wouldn't yield the track. When one of the riders in the conga line confronted the guy about why he didn't yield the track he said, "because every one behind was going as fast as him". You just had to laugh. In the end I made it my mission to defeat as many Mexicans as i could and towards the end we had a friendly rivalry going. They always got up the mountain quicker but i would work hard to pick them off all day as the trail invariably became technical.
 
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J

Juz1970

Likes Bikes
Thanks again guys - will definitely be in touch over the next few months as i start the serious training stuff. I really will need the 12 months i reckon as have been off the bike for a while (young family but more due to injuries, etc.) and am coming from a low fitness base.
Good to know re the 5010 or Instinct question - my 5010 is alloy and i am running 1x11 but whichever bike i decide on i am dead-keen to go to 2x as climbing will be my nemesis for sure.
And yep, am going solo as definitely don't want the pressure of letting anyone down re teammates!
Cheers for now.
JW
 
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